Mobile Phones Buying Guide

Photographer

Camera phones have recently started to offer similar resolutions and features to compact digital cameras. While the first camera phones took blurry photos that looked like they'd been taken in dense fog, many can now take pictures that are good enough to put up on the family mantelpiece.

If you're a keen photographer, there are a few things to watch out for. Some camera phones offer impressive resolutions, but don't necessarily take high-quality images.

Make sure your camera phone has expandable memory and it takes high-quality photos

If you want to print your snapshots, you'll need a camera with a resolution of at least 2 megapixels. Following that, look for features such as autofocus, flash, image stabilisation, adjustable white balance and red-eye reduction. You'll also want plenty of internal memory for storing photos or, ideally, a slot for a memory card so you can add more memory as required.

Find out how easy it is to transfer the photos off the phone and on to your computer or another mobile phone. Connectivity options such as Bluetooth, infrared, MMS and USB are very useful when you want to see your photos on a large screen or get them printed.

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Music lover

In the last couple of years we've seen a big increase in the number of mobile phones with built-in MP3 players. The interface and audio quality, however, can differ greatly from one phone to the next.

Ensure your music-playing phone has a memory card slot, and that you are happy with the interface and audio quality

If you want to use your mobile phone as your primary music-playing device, check how much memory it has. Memory can be split up into two types: internal memory, which is built in to the phone itself; and external memory, which is added via an expandable memory slot. The total amount of memory will determine how many songs you can store.

You should also check whether you can use your own headphones. Many phones have a proprietary connector that only accepts the manufacturer's headphones -- particularly annoying if you've just bought an expensive pair and you can't use them with your phone. Some phones do have a standard 3.5mm headphones jack, and some provide an adaptor that lets you use regular headphones.

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Style icon

Fashion was not associated with the mobile phone industry when it first started up. Phones remained square and black for a long time after the initial models appeared, but they have finally come of age. Today's handsets come a wide variety of colours and designs. From electric pink to golden brown, there is a phone to suit almost any taste -- you can even get a diamond-encrusted model. You can also buy a variety of accessories to bling up your phone.

Your fashion phone should not only look good, but also have the features you need

Flashy phones sometimes hide rather boring innards, so check the specs before you buy. If you've chosen a phone with a camera or MP3 player, make sure it has plenty of internal memory or an expandable memory slot so you have somewhere to store all your music and pictures. Check that the phone feels right when you're using it -- if the keypad is too small, or the screen too shiny, you may be better off with a more sensible choice that might not look as cool, but does make it easy to call your fashionably late friends.

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Gadget freak

If Roger Moore in Moonraker had some of the features available on today's mobile phones, he might not have got into so much trouble. It's truly astounding what the mobile phone industry has managed to squash into tiny plastic boxes and the future looks full of promise for gadget lovers. You can use your mobile phone to take photographs, listen to music, browse the Web, check your emails, control your computer, connect to a Wi-Fi network, test the alcohol levels in your blood, read barcodes and even watch TV. Indeed, new features and network standards are cropping up every year and the buzz word right now is convergence: instead of carrying lots of kit, you can have everything you need in one convenient package.

Fancy features are great but they do suck up the power, so make sure the battery can go the distance

Having everything built into one device can be a problem however, especially since feature-packed phones tend to be rather chunky. They're also power hungry, and after you've used all your fancy features you can find yourself with a flat battery. Before you splash out on the latest super-phone, make sure you'll be able to live with it when the novelty wears off. Think about your budget, too. Phones with lots of features don't come cheap and using services like Web browsing and streaming TV can also run up your bills. Be prepared to pay for being at the cutting edge of mobile technology.

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Video caller

Video calling lets you see your nearest and dearest while talking to them. If you want to join the face-to-face revolution, there are lots of mobiles that will let you do it at the push of a button. Video calling has been made possible by 3G technology, which streams data over the air at speeds high enough to transmit video. The picture isn't perfect and can be blurry and pixellated, but you can usually make out who you're talking to. Further advancements in communication standards, such 3.5G (also known as HSDPA), promise better picture quality through faster transfer rates.

3G phones can often be chunky but there are smaller alternatives

There are a few things that can ruin your video chats if overlooked. If video calls aren't included in your monthly contract's free minutes, you could run up a huge bill. Video calling phones are also usually quite large, although there are a few compact models if you shop around. Last, but definitely not least, is the video-calling interface, which can be a joy to use or a pain in the neck, so test this feature and make sure it's not too complicated to operate.

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Work warrior

If you need to be on top of your game at all times, you might want a Pocket PC phone or smart phone. These devices are essentially small computers with mobile phone capabilities that can provide email on the go, and other applications to make sure you are always switched on. Some of these devices even come with Wi-Fi adaptors that let you use programs like Skype to make cheap Internet calls.

Some smart phones have full Qwerty keypads, while others use a touch screen and stylus interface or a normal numeric keypad. These devices aren't just for business people and can be handy for anyone who needs to keep their life organised.

If you're not used to using a touch screen or Qwerty keypad then give it a go in the shop before you buy

You can synchronise Pocket PCs and smart phones with your computer and keep all your appointments, to-do lists and memos with you wherever you go. If you want to use the device to send emails and write documents make sure that inputting text is easy. A Qwerty keypad may seem impressive but some are difficult to use, so make sure you try before you buy. If you're considering a device that uses a touch screen and stylus then try that too, to see how it feels and operates.

Unfortunately, all this convenience doesn't come cheap, so be prepared to spend more for a Pocket PC phone or smart phone.

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